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Learning objectives I Understand why sex workers distrust and lie to researchers Understand why sex workers distrust and lie to researchers Understand how research and the research agenda harms sex workers Understand how research and the research agenda harms sex workers Propose ways to repair damaged trust Propose ways to repair damaged trust Understand ethical issues in sex work research and how to navigate them to produce research of high ethical and scientific quality Understand ethical issues in sex work research and how to navigate them to produce research of high ethical and scientific quality

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Learning objectives II Use examples of collaborative and problematic research in order to suggest ways of improving problematic studies Use examples of collaborative and problematic research in order to suggest ways of improving problematic studies

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Learning objectives III Participatory activities Roleplay an escort negotiating with a difficult researcher Roleplay an escort negotiating with a difficult researcher Roleplay a pro domme negotiating with a difficult client Roleplay a pro domme negotiating with a difficult client Perform a passable pole dance. Perform a passable pole dance. Become a better ally or sex worker researcher Become a better ally or sex worker researcher If you can stay awake long enough!

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Audience input Your learning objectives Your learning objectives What disciplines/backgrounds represented? What disciplines/backgrounds represented? Who has performed sex work research? Who has performed sex work research? Is planning to? Is planning to? Your experiences? Your experiences? Sex work experience? Sex work experience?

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Brief overview Why we do research Why we do research Research design Research design Research dissemination Research dissemination Responding to research Responding to research Discussion Discussion – ethics – ways of knowing – funding dilemmas New directions for sex work research New directions for sex work research

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“The aim of science is not to open a door to infinite wisdom but to set a limit to infinite error” Brecht B. The Life of Galileo (Leben des Galilei) 1943 Bertolt Brecht (1898 –1956)

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Why we do research Academic advancement Academic advancement Professional reputation Professional reputation Funding agencies Funding agencies Government priorities Government priorities - How does the Research Agenda construct ‘social problems’ - How does the Research Agenda construct ‘social problems’

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Ethical principle I Respect for Persons (Autonomy) “act as to treat humanity…in every case as an end..never as a means” Kant I: Groundwork of the metaphysics of morals (1785)

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Ethical principle II Distributive justice Distributive justice –Burdens of research must be distributed fairly –Research cannot be performed on one population for the benefit of another Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics

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The Internet: A blessing and a curse I’m a labor economist researching the escort market and got your email off the internet. I’m hoping to collect some field evidence from current or former workers in this profession. I’m a labor economist researching the escort market and got your email off the internet. I’m hoping to collect some field evidence from current or former workers in this profession. Any feedback that you could give would be great, and will of course be kept completely confidential and used for research purposes only. 1. Do you still provide escort or companionship services? a. I’m still active. b. No, I’m no longer active.

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The Internet: A blessing and a curse Greetings, You have been randomly selected to participate in a survey by the Criminal Justice Department at (…..University). This is a study designed to understand the ways that you use technology, including computers and the Internet in the course of your profession and day to day lives. …This study will also ask questions addressing when you first began to use the Internet in the course of your job and your reasons for using websites, such as the Escort Blogs as a means to communicate with clients and other providers. … Greetings, You have been randomly selected to participate in a survey by the Criminal Justice Department at (…..University). This is a study designed to understand the ways that you use technology, including computers and the Internet in the course of your profession and day to day lives. …This study will also ask questions addressing when you first began to use the Internet in the course of your job and your reasons for using websites, such as the Escort Blogs as a means to communicate with clients and other providers. …

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Sex Worker Research on Researcher When the escort who sent us the email followed the researcher’s link she found a research agenda that included: computer crime, the role that technology and the Internet play in crime and deviance... the behaviour of “sexual deviants” on-line…has published research on the use of the internet by clients…. computer crime, the role that technology and the Internet play in crime and deviance... the behaviour of “sexual deviants” on-line…has published research on the use of the internet by clients…. And that the researcher collaborates: with law enforcement… to understand the technological and social elements of computer crime. with law enforcement… to understand the technological and social elements of computer crime.

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Revealed: the truth about brothels A survey into London's off-street sex industry has exposed just how widespread it is - and documents in disturbing detail the plight of the women trapped in it. Julie Bindel Wednesday 10 September 2008 http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/sep/10/women.socialexclusion

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Issues in Research Design Participation of the community is key Participation of the community is key Nothing About Us Without Us

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International Conference on Prostitution Los Angeles, 1997 Recommendations on Research Ethics South Australian Sex Industry Network* 1.Collaboration 2.Equality 3.Dissemination 4.Independence *Wahab and Sloan: Ethical dilemmas in sex work research. Research for Sex Work (7) 2004

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1. Collaboration Researchers must collaborate with the sex workers they seek to study This collaboration must include all aspects of research design, theoretical framework, methods, and dissemination As cited In: Wahab and Sloan: Ethical dilemmas in sex work research. Research for Sex Work (7) 2004

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Researchers must be cognisant of issues of social, political, economic and personal power and seek to equalise power relationships with the sex workers they study This can be accomplished by acknowledging that sex workers are the experts on their own lives; researchers are the experts on research methods, and we all stand to learn from one another As cited In: Wahab and Sloan: Ethical dilemmas in sex work research. Research for Sex Work (7) 2004 2. Equality

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3. Dissemination Researchers must bring the results back to the sex workers they study to ensure that the researchers’ interpretation of the data is accurate As cited In: Wahab and Sloan: Ethical dilemmas in sex work research. Research for Sex Work (7) 2004

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Sex workers and sex work organisations are encouraged to hire their own researchers to conduct research of relevance to sex workers. Or, sex workers and sex work organisations are encouraged to obtain training or consultation that would enable them to conduct their own research. 4. Independence As cited In: Wahab and Sloan: Ethical dilemmas in sex work research. Research for Sex Work (7) 2004

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Collaboration requires trust Work with community based organizations Work with community based organizations –Learn their needs –Demonstrate your own commitment –Be willing to commit significant time and effort –(NOTE: This is not simply about entrée)

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Collaboration requires trust Read sex worker blogs and comment where appropriate. Read sex worker blogs and comment where appropriate. –By listening you learn the language and the issues –By commenting reveal your perspective and your willingness to learn reveal your perspective and your willingness to learn reveal what you have to offer reveal what you have to offer

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MAKA Project (Vancouver, BC) In the fall of 2004, the MAKA Project, a partnership with the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, undertook a study to assess the health needs of the women who use the Drop-In Centre at WISH.BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS http://www.wish-vancouver.net/index.cfm?go=site.index&section=programs&page=maka

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Learning from Sex Workers: Media Training Sex Work Awareness designed a media training workshop, Speak Up!, for sex workers and has made those materials available online http://www.sexworkawareness.org/speak-up-media-training-materials

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Questions for Discussion IV Funding and the agenda Funding and the agenda –Whose responsibility to shift priorities –Resistance –Organisation Political agenda Political agenda –Lessons from infiltration of State and Justice Departments – eg PEPFAR –Working with the new Administration

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Questions for Discussion VI Framing and reframing the agenda cont’d Framing and reframing the agenda cont’d –Crime, Violence Prohibition Prohibition War on Drugs War on Drugs

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New Directions for Research I Balancing Micro, Meso and Macro factors Balancing Micro, Meso and Macro factors –Political, Social and Economic factors Emphasising structural factors Emphasising structural factors Push and Pull drivers Push and Pull drivers Social citizenship and responsibilisation Social citizenship and responsibilisation –Social inclusion and exclusion

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New Directions for Research II Organisation factors Organisation factors –Moral panic and moral crusades Holistic examination of sex work in relation to sexuality and commerce Holistic examination of sex work in relation to sexuality and commerce –Balanced examination of actors and sectors –How controls are applied discriminately

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New Directions for Research III Societal benefits Societal benefits –Economic –Sexual needs of specific groups –Health promotion –Therapists Vulnerability and the disadvantaged Vulnerability and the disadvantaged –Societal effects of discrimination against groups

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Summary I Historically sex work research has made a number of false steps through failure to engage the sex work community Historically sex work research has made a number of false steps through failure to engage the sex work community Collaborative research provides opportunities to produce more meaningful results that benefit both sex workers and society Collaborative research provides opportunities to produce more meaningful results that benefit both sex workers and society

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Summary II Principles of Good Sex Work Research Principles of Good Sex Work Research –To benefit sex workers –To influence the research agenda –To engage the sex work community –To ensure responsible collaborative dissemination of results –To apply results constructively –To critically respond to studies and reports that are harmful, misrepresented or misleading